Prevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Among HIV Positive Clients Attending Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Viral Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, caused by a number of etiological agents especially the hepatitis B virus. The study is aimed at investigating the prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen among HIV/AIDs clients attending Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital Lafia. Exactly 2ml of whole blood sample was collected from 500 HIV positive clients attending Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital Lafia. On the spot testing for HBSAg was conducted using commercially prepared Hepatitis B surface antigen test strips. Out of the 500 clients tested, 11.8% were co-infected. Females had the highest co-infection rate of 62.7%; p=1.000, clients within the age range of 25-29 and illiterates also had the highest co-infection rate of 30.5%; p=0.632 and 55.9%; p=1.00 respectively. Screening of all HIV clients for HBsAg should be encouraged by the hospitals to enable prompt detection of HBsAg/HIV co-infection and adequate management.